Lost one from our group on Saturday

[DR-Zinger 0]

Don't mean to be a downer, just a reminder, that although as fun as riding can be, please always think of safety first, as I know we all do. Part of the fun of riding, for me anyways is pushing the envelope but not over the edge. Accidents happen and unfortunately sometimes result in death.

I didn't know him well, but the news impacted me profoundly, I believe I rode with him a couple of years ago, good kid, excellent rider. Makes you want to hug your kids that much harder. I have a ten year old daughter that's been riding for 4 years now, she does great, very cautious, which I like, but I don't leave her side when we go on runs. OW has changed a lot over the years, and unfortunately it's not uncommon to go out there on a big weekend and see ambulances and helicopters all over.

Please pray for his family and friends.

Here's an excerpt from online newspaper:

08:15 AM PST on Monday, December 1, 2008

A 22-year-old Menifee man was killed in an off-roading accidents Saturday, according to reports from the Riverside county coroners' offices.

Troy Bentley Thompson, 22, of Menifee, fell from his motorcycle while attempting a large jump in the Shell Reef area of Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area in San Diego County about 1:48 p.m., according to the Riverside County coroner's office.

Thompson was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.

[Jaynen 0]

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

This is why we must be vigilant and must practice ATTGATT

[bruceh 0]

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

This is why we must be vigilant and must practice ATTGATT

I personally will NEVER go out there on Thanksgiving holiday weekend. It is just too crowded and too crazy and too dusty (assuming no rain). I've seen many medivac flights and ambulances over the last

35 years of riding out there on the big holiday weekends. I've seen stupid people do stupid stunts. I've seen lots of head on crashes where someone was climbing up a hill blind and nailed other riders.

A couple of years ago we had a

really bad experience with some of our camping "neighbors". Alcohol to excess, which lead to some really

bad behaviour on their part and we ended up getting the heck out of there before someone got

hurt.

I was out there with my family the weekend prior and it was beautiful and NO crowds.

[Jaynen 0]

Yeah I am much more a fan of the private area we went out too where there was a total of 5 maybe toyhaulers/motorhomes and a couple other rigs towing toys but less than 30 people total and tons of riding areas. I felt a lot more confident as a noob that I could focus on riding and not on avoiding getting hit by a drunk guy in a rhino